Today on Home & Family Tuesday, December 31st, 2013

Eric Braedon "The Young and the Restless" star Eric Braedon talks about playing the same role for over three decades. Before his 33 year stint on the daytime soap, the actor used to call the Universal Studios lot home, where "Home & Family" is now housed. Eric also explains the reason behind changing his name.
"The Young and the Restless" airs weekdays on CBS.

Duff Goldman Bakes Chocolate Lava Cakes

Duff Goldman Bakes Chocolate Lava Cakes From Charm City Cakes and Charm City Cakes West, Duff Goldman charms us with his recipe for chocolate lava cakes with candied walnuts and navel orange salad. The "Ace of Cakes" star hits the jackpot with his confection of erupting, oozing sweetness. Plus, Duff explains why he adds coffee to the list of ingredients.
Get the volcanic recipe here>>

Last Minute New Year's Eve Plans with Kym Douglas It's not too late to wrangle some friends together to ring in 2014! Kym Douglas suggests spreading the word using Evite or text messages to invite friends to countdown to the big ball drop. And, don't be ashamed to ask guests to bring their own bottle and contribute to the party. She also recommends setting up a bar with ingredients for DIY spritzers and cutting appetizers and desserts into bite-size portions. To keep everyone safe, Kym refers hosts and party-goers to arrange a car service, such as
carserviceexpress.com, ahead of time to prevent drinking and driving. For parents, book a babysitter using
sittercity.com.

David Garcia's Weight Loss Story David Garcia is a mere fraction of what he used to be. Before dropping over 160 pounds, he topped the scale at 402 pounds. After years of yo-yo dieting, the former "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" producer met fitness guru Richard Simmons, who went on to guide him through his remarkable weight loss journey. Richard held him accountable by keeping a food log and motivating him to exercise. Today, David discusses the biggest challenges of being overweight and even holds up an old pair of pants to illustrate his significant transformation and shrinking waistline.
Track David's progress on his weight loss blog at
keepitupdavid.com.

Indoor Plants with Anne-Marie Johnson

Indoor Plants with Anne-Marie Johnson Actress, comedian, and gardening enthusiast Anne-Marie Johnson is here with plants that thrive indoors. Legend has it that these potted plants will bring you good luck, health, and money in the New Year.
Learn more>>

Champagne & Food Pairings Pop open the champagne! Mixologist and beverage consultant Kim Haasarud shares which champagnes are best to serve at your New Year's Eve party. When the clock strikes midnight on January 1, Kim suggests breaking out the expensive bubbly for a special toast. But, she also takes us through several affordable and versatile champagnes that pair well with food. Plus, Kim explains the best way to cork the bottle to save leftovers for bellinis the following morning.
Take a sip from this glassful of details>>

DIY Playdough with Tanya Memme

Tanya Memme teaches us how to make playdough as a fun activity for kids.

DIY Playdough with Tanya Memme Tanya Memme mixes together a concoction of ingredients to form DIY playdough! This clay will keep your children molding shapes and keep their creative juices flowing for hours on end. Tanya can make playdough either cooked or non-cooked. She also demonstrates various ways to store it to play with again later.
Get the instructions here>>

Mark's Tips and Tricks for Storing Holiday Decorations

Mark's Tips & Tricks for Storing Holiday Decorations With Christmas behind us, it's time to undertake the dreaded task of untrimming the tree and undecking the halls. Mark shares a slew of tips and tricks to keep all your tinsel and light strands organized for efficient storage. He has some clever uses for empty egg cartons and an easy way to store your articifial tree. Plus, Mark has touching idea to remember each tree for Christmases to come by making an ornament with the year etched on a portion of the trunk.
Tips & Tricks: 1. Finished wrapping paper tubes make for an easy Christmas light storage option.
2. It's important to wrap only shorter strands of lights so they fit the size of the tube. 3. Old socks are great storage options for candles. They protect your special Christmas candles from scratches and provide padding. 4. Egg carton for wrapping delicate ornaments- Place delicate ornaments in an egg carton for organization and protection of the ornaments. 5. How to skillfully wrap lights using just your hand- Place short strand of lights in your hand and fold back and forth, then twist plug end around bundle until tightly wrapped. 6. How to store your artificial tree in concrete molding tubes- Breakdown artificial tree and place in "concrete molding tubes," which can be found at any hardware store. 7. Wash off tree sap from your hands by rubbing salt on them. 8. When throwing away your old real tree, cut an inch or so from the trunk and create your own unique ornament and add the date to remember that year's Christmas. Get more great recipes and crafts by visiting us on Pinterest at
pinterest.com/homeandfamilytv and follow "Home & Family" on Twitter
@homeandfamilytv and
Facebook. Plus, check out our
YouTube channel for backstage videos.